28. The fall of a genius.
28. The fall of a genius.
"It's okay. It happens. Don't take it to heart. You know, there's such a thing as compatibility. Your specialty is speed, and his is durability."
Ralph, the greasy guy from the Escort unit who adores Irina, tried to comfort her after she'd racked up three losses against Riosk, but it didn't provide her with any comfort at all. No, if anything, it only twisted her mood further.
She could tell. Even in the Escort unit, they no longer looked up to her as a genius knight.
Having fallen to the position of "just a little stronger than the rest of us," she was angry at everything.
I'm different from the likes of you. I'm a genius, and my father is the vice-captain of a 100,000-ton class battleship!
The fact that some nobodies were trying to put themselves on the same level as her grated on her nerves. Getting along and living harmoniously together? That was impossible for her.
If it weren't for that bastard Riosk, her superior status could have continued. If only she could beat that damn bastard!
However, as a genius, she realized for sure after her three losses against him yesterday. There was a clear gap between the two.
Irina, too, believed it was a matter of compatibility, just as Ralph said. Her speed was definitely faster, but she figured she was getting pushed back because her other skills were lacking in comparison.
Still, there was plenty of time left in the ranking matches. Of course, that was both an advantage and a disadvantage.
The advantage was that there were still many opportunities to turn things around.
But the disadvantage was that she could rack up even more losses.
But if she avoided them, it would be admitting total defeat, so that wasn't an option either. In short, she had to bite the bullet and keep doing the ranking matches whether she liked it or not.
Irina kept thinking about Kal, who had said those explicit words with a smug smile.
Certainly, his looks were near perfect, enough to be called her ideal type. ...However, his cocky behavior or that damn personality of his really bothered her.
She had lived a life where being treated like a queen and catered to by men was the norm. But his behavior was truly, shockingly low-class.
Why would I suck a man's dick? Am I crazy?
...However, the defeat against Riosk kept making a bitter taste rise in her throat.
The respect, worship, and adoration were drifting further and further away.
Looking at it coldly, the person Irina could rely on most right now was Kal. That guy definitely beat Riosk. No, not just beat—he completely overwhelmed him. She, too, definitely acknowledged his skills.
...Even so, the price was too...
She could give him as much money as he wanted. She had plenty of that kind of money.
But who would have known the price would be a sexual act like that? And to demand it so explicitly, too.
He was a guy unfit to be a knight. As expected of someone from a low-class training center. Furthermore, they say he's from Hell-Lugal, the prison planet. He was truly the trash of trash.
Despite having talent born of pure luck, he ultimately couldn't suppress the low-class nature of his low-class bloodline.
...However, however...!
"Haaaaa...."
Irina sighed in frustration all day long. The situation was just too bad to coldly conclude that she didn't need that bastard's help. If things went on like this, she would definitely be branded a loser inferior to Riosk.
Her rival, Riosk.
Of all things, his father was the captain of a 100,000-ton class battleship. Of course, it was a different ship from Irina's father's, but the weight difference between a vice-captain and a captain was much greater than one might imagine.
Maybe that's why she was struggling so hard to win. Because the position of her father, which she boasted about so much, didn't work on him at all. One of her two sources of pride had crumbled, so she was desperate to protect the remaining one.
Because that's the life she had lived.
Because she had lived such a proud life until now.
"There's a party this evening, want to go together? You and me, as partners... Let's go to clear our heads."
Irina's anger flared at Ralph's suggestion.
In the past, his tone and behavior would have been much more cautious and polite, but the way he was acting now was as if he were treating her like any other girl her age!
In short, it was the same as saying he no longer felt that kind of dignity from her.
How dare he suggest being partners. Someone like you. With pathetic skills, an ugly face, and a lowly background!
Did it make any sense for her, who had boldly rejected the proposal of Kal, who was both skilled and handsome, to associate with a guy like this?
"Forget it."
Irina said just that one word sharply and completely cut off her attention from Ralph. He realized his mistake and asked if he had done something wrong. It would have been better if he had just stopped there; the moment he asked that, her mood twisted even more. It felt like he was being sarcastic for no reason.
"I said forget it! You're really annoying."
Naturally, Ralph wasn't in a great mood after receiving such a savage rejection. Still, because she was the woman he liked, he didn't say anything and just backed off; otherwise, he would have snapped at her in a fit of nerves.
Anyway, she only had one thought: she had to regain her prestige, which had fallen to the bottom. Only that thought.
She would win against Riosk, regain her fallen prestige, and reign as the queen of the Escort unit again.
Actually, it wasn't that she hadn't thought about seeking out a senior from the Escort unit, but the truly talented geniuses were in the Combat Class, not the Escort unit, and anyway, they were just obstacles she had to overcome someday, so she didn't want to get their help. ...In the end, no matter how she looked at it, Kal from the Administration Squad was the only option left.
...She would try to adjust the requirements. In a better direction.
She didn't want to go anywhere near him if she could help it, but she was in a situation where she had to grasp at straws. The situation was that bad. ...Setting aside Kal, who would have known Riosk would be that strong? Contrary to her expectation that at worst the match would be even, the result was too miserable.
The fall of a genius.
However, she didn't doubt for a second that she would soar again. She just needed a little teaching. Like Riosk's weakness...
In the end, Irina decided to go find Kal again.
· · ·
Kal, walking down the hallway chewing gum, spotted a woman standing stiffly near the window at the end of the deserted corridor, showing off her dazzling blonde hair and wearing a crisp white uniform.
Wasn't that the very same holy person, Irina, who had glared at him like he was a disgusting beast and disappeared yesterday!
"Oh."
Kal wore a deep smile and slowly approached this arrogant show-off. As he approached, Irina lifted her chin slightly more and straightened her back. ...However, she couldn't erase the tension planted in her eyes.
"You were dying to kill me yesterday, so what brings our pretty girl all the way here?"
"...I have a proposal."
"A proposal?"
Pfft. He snorted.
"Let's hear it."
Irina scanned her surroundings for a moment. To see if anyone was listening.
"Somewhere quiet."
"Ah, somewhere quiet?"
Kal tilted his head as if to say "follow me." The two went to the building's rooftop. It was time for everyone to leave work anyway, and it was rare for people to come up to the roof.
"Speak."
He said that while looking at the beautiful city scenery of Akumansina spread out below his feet.
"...I want to change your requirements."
"My requirements? Ah, the dick-sucking thing?"
"Not that... make it something else. Something a bit more normal."
Kal laughed deeply at hearing that. He thought she would never come back after leaving yesterday, but seeing her return in just a day and even try to negotiate, she must have been really desperate.
In that case, Kal had no intention of giving in. There was no need to step down from his advantageous position. ...Actually, he wanted to make even more excessive demands, but that might backfire, so he shouldn't be too greedy.
"I don't need anything else. If you don't like it, forget it. I'm not forcing you... And I'm a bit busy. You know, business... You get it? I've got quite a few women who like me."
Kal played it tough. Actually, saying he was busy wasn't a total lie. He was meeting Alisa later.
Irina, who had almost no experience with this kind of negotiation, was instantly caught up in his schemes.
"...Still, you could at least relax the conditions a bit."
"Relax them? How? By sucking it gently?"
"Not that!"
"Sorry, but if you don't like it, forget it. I don't want to waste my precious time either. Whether you win or lose against that muscle pig Riosk or whatever his name is, it's none of my business."
Hehehe. Kal laughed like a villain. Irina clenched her fists until her palms turned white.
"Do you really... have to do that?"
"Anyone would think I'm threatening you? I told you to forget it if you don't like it? Why are you clinging to me so stickily? Shall I be honest? I'm not really into you. I just said that because it was awkward to refuse."
Kal leaned his head close to Irina and sneered.
"You wanted something without even being prepared for that? Wow, our Ms. Irina, you're really amaaazing. Your economic sense is so great that I'm speechless."
"Don't be sarcastic."
"Then the negotiation is over, right? I'm going. And don't come looking for me for no reason. It's annoying."
After mocking her like that, he turned around sharply. Then, it was she who became anxious. This definitely wasn't the picture she had imagined. She had been under the illusion that he would be even more obsessed with her.
Only then did she realize that he hadn't actually wanted her to suck his dick from the start. That was just an excuse for refusal. To keep her from clinging to him. ...Come to think of it, what kind of madman would openly suggest to a woman to suck his dick? All of this was a high-level scheme.
...Scary bastard.
It was a calculation worthy of a surprisingly skilled person. Perhaps even that bizarre outfit of his was all part of the calculation. Even though he was ranked 1st, wasn't he just being laughed at by everyone? No one tried to keep him in check. Not even Riosk!
This guy had been planning all of that. And she, a variable, had intruded. So he had set excessive requirements to keep her from approaching. ...If he hadn't let it slip that he set those requirements to refuse her, even she would have been completely fooled.
Irina felt her mind brighten up. Only now did his behavior make sense. He was a truly terrifying guy. To think that all those infinitely light-looking actions were calculated!
In that case, Irina didn't have the luxury of weighing things anymore. Because the other party would never have any intention of lowering his requirements.
"...Alright. I'll do it."
She shouted that at his back. Then, the other party stood tall and slowly turned around.
"What was that?"
"I said I'd accept your requirements... Instead, I have to beat Riosk. That's my condition. Then... I'll suck it. Okay?"
Kal smiled deeply.
...In the end, that bitch took the bait too.